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Topic: Tobacco and Varroa.... (Read 3504 times)

I was looking through a beekeeping catalogue and came accross a bag of tobacco for sale. Its states use for braula control. I don't think that I've got braula but it does say that it's useful for varroa detection.

We use it when the mite count gets high we put some tobacco in the smoker. It works for us. The mite count is high the next day then it is much lower after. nicotine is a poison. It seems to work on the mites. We heard about using food grade mineral oil on cotton balls in the hive to induce cleaning behavior. we'll probably try this instead of the tobacco next time. jim

I have cartons of expired cigs that I wondered if I could use a little in the smoker. I didn't think about the nicotine being a poison. I did wonder if menthol cigs would help with mites, varroah and tracheal, though.

Any ideas on the menthols? they do nothing for me, I don't smoke they are just returns from the job.

Any ideas on the menthols? they do nothing for me, I don't smoke they are just returns from the job.

Not sure about the cigs... when I used to smoke, some people told me (and I do consider these sources UNreliable by the way) that the menthol cigs also contain fiberglass resin.

Anyway, I do like the idea of menthol in the smoker, but I do wonder why you couldn't just add straight menthol to the smoker fuel instead of menthol cigs? I'm also not sure that small a dose of menthol would do anything at all for the control of trachea mites, or if it would help them build immunity to it.